A Day To Remember
by SumOfAllZeroes
Summary: A standard mission goes wrong, leaving Naruto to question his actions toward a certain indigo haired kunoichi. What set of curious events shall take place on this fine morning? NaruHina
1. Chapter 1

**A Day To Remember**: Naruto Fan-fiction

By SumOfAllZeroes

"": speech

_italics: _thoughts

**BOLD: **Nine Tails (Kurama) speaking

A/N: Hello and welcome all to the story. This is my first story here, so format and other things are a bit off. You may notice that several characters act different, the most obvious being Hinata Hyuuga. I found it pointless to add in the infamous stutter she possesses. I figured 'She's practically DIED for this guy, what should she be nervous about?' I am also sure that I stumbled over at least one character's name.

Stuff happens.

With the sheer amount of effort put into this story, I would greatly appreciate constructive criticism. If there are any who wish to post derogatory comments, I will not stop you, so long as they are about the story and are logical. I urge you to banter about my story. You know nothing about who I am as of current time; therefore, all you can insult is an idea. Any violations of these regulations will be promptly deleted, ignored or reported. I believe that should suffice for now. Please enjoy yourselves, and if you like it, I am open to suggestions.

Disclaimer: I, SumOfAllZeroes do declare that I own none of the characters within this story, nor do I own the Naruto franchise. Things would be very different if that were so.

I just remembered that I own the nameless cult members.

Hawkward.

And thar

**Prologue**

Some predict that the light of the sun's rays takes about 8 minutes to reach the Earth. The sun rising in the morn is often seen as the most peaceful time and event of the day other than the sunset.

Naruto Uzumaki had no time to enjoy such a thought at the moment. Sent out on a C ranked document delivery mission at about 3 AM, he had expected to make it home by the time Ichiraku's Ramen opened up, check in, then get breakfast. He intended to go alone; not that he minded company, he just didn't want to wake anyone up.

As fate would have it, Hinata Hyuuga, the heiress of the Hyuuga clan and one of Naruto's inner circle had offered to go with him. Naruto, being his usual fun-loving self, agreed immediately and off the two went.

On the way back, rogue cult members in the midst of a sacrificial rite ambushed the two. Naruto immediately leapt in front of Hinata to guard her and allow her to charge her chakra.

That had been over 3 hours ago. Naruto's immense chakra had began to wane and his strength began to cave in. Hinata was doing her best to use miniscule amounts of chakra to defend herself. Try as they might, the two were rapidly overpowered by the last cult member.

The fanatic threw Naruto into a nearby tree. Naruto gazed towards his best friend, his very best friend in the hands of a murderer. And as the cult member raised a curved, sharpened blade into the air, his eyes blind to everything but his intentions, Naruto remembered the promise, Hinata's promise to him during the Pain Invasion. At that moment she had decided of her own free will to protect him until death. She had told him how he inspired her, how she looked up to him…how she _loved_ him and always would eternally.

"I refuse to let some religious nut-job kill her! Hold on, Hinata!" He screamed within his mind.

The curved blade fell.

There was an intense flash of light...then complete silence.

**Chapter 1: New Developments**

"Ugh...what happened?" Naruto asked, rising to his feet from his prone position on the ground.

_"Funny. I don't remember falling on soft silk. Last I remember I was in battle with Hina…"_ He thought, as the "silk" began to shift a bit.

"Huhhh…Na-Naruto-kun?" A small voice came from beside him.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed happily

"Naruto-kun, wha-" Hinata tried to say, before Naruto's incoming velocity became clear to her. "Oh shi-"

"Hinata, you're okay! Is everything alright? Do you need anything?" Naruto asked, his arms unknowingly constricting the oxygen out of the young heiress.

"Some...air...would...be nice" Hinata gasped, trying to loosen Naruto's ever tightening grip.

"Ha ha, sorry. Just a bit concerned." He said, setting Hinata down gently.

Hinata coughed daintily, but still couldn't help a small smile.

"So, where are we, Hina-chan?"

Hinata made a quick area scan with her Byakugan. They were at the same place where they had fought the cult members. The last member was gone.

"I'd say 2 miles from Konoha, Naruto-kun." She answered politely

Naruto's stomach growled very loudly then.

"Umm...wanna go get breakfast with me?" he asked

She gave a minuscule giggle "Of course."

After checking in with Tsunade, Hinata followed Naruto to Ichiraku's Ramen. As they walked into the restaurant, a familiar voice rang out.

"Hey, Naruto!" Ayume called out.

"Hey Ayume!" Naruto called back

"Well, well, well! Naruto has himself a little lady friend! And a Hyuuga, no less!" Ayume said smiling.

"Well, we're just friends. At least as much as I know." Naruto replied

"So lemme guess, 10 bowls of miso-pork, right?" Ayume asked

"You know me too well! How bout you, Hinata?" Naruto inquired

"I'll have the same. Minus nine bowls." Hinata said

"On the double, ma'am!" Ayume said as she began making ramen rapidly

"Exactly how much DO you know, kit?" Kurama asked

_"Shut up, you're a fox."_

**"Your point?"**

_"Yes, she's my best friend. I know she loves me but...I'm afraid of what might happen."_

**"Naruto...How stupid ARE you?! Claim her as yours!"**

_"What do YOU know about Hinata?!"_

**"Really? Really? You're gonna argue with an unhallowed 9 tailed abomination that you just so happen to share a brain and by extension, your entire life with? Okay, kit, I know her birthday, bloodline, signature fighting style, kekkai genkai, first original jutsu and I know the promise she made you when she fought Pain by heart. I could read and write it upside down and backwards."**

_"...point proven." _Naruto thought dejectedly, finally admitting defeat to the heathen creature. His eyes drifted over to his companion, who was busy heartily mincing at the bowl before her. Her pink pearl eyes met his luminous cerulean ones. His reward was a smile that could melt the hardest of hearts, one he obliged to return before she returned her eyes to her bowl.

**"Kit, brooding thoughts do NOT suit you."**

_"Wise words from the beast that was the bane of my existence for a good...actually ongoing lifespan."_

**"True, but who was your first friend?"**

_"Hinata."_

**"Who in team 8 have you spent the most time with?"**

_"Hinata."_

**"Whose blood did you use to make an omerta to punish, torment, and rend asunder the fate-obsessed Hyuuga family prodigy, Neji?"**

_"Well…."_

**"Who stood up for you, in the face of insurmountable odds and the freezing grips of death, knowing...KNOWING she would die while you lay basically crucified to the ground by an enemy with the eyes of a hawk using a telescope…"**

Naruto failed to hear Kurama's final words, as his thoughts again turned to his friend's sacrament for him on the battlefield, her incomparable promise to him. Naruto returned to Kurama, an epiphany dawning upon him.

_"Kami...how could I be so stupid?"_

**"Is that a rhetorical question?"**

_"And to think that she had to watch me flirt with Sakura...dammit!"_

**"Well you could just admit how you feel."**

_"That'll be tough…now I know why she used to stutter!"_

**"Or you could allow me to consume your chakra and reign destruction upon the village, thus completing what I sought to carry out 16 years ago."**

_"Let's go with the first one. At least that one won't involve people trying to kill you."_

**"Aww, you thought of me! Tell you what, I'll help you tell her if you freeze up."**

"Earth to Naruto-kun!" Hinata said, playfully holding Naruto's bowl under his nose.

The smell of ramen immediately awoke Naruto's senses, as he snapped to attention.

"Huh?" Naruto asked

"You spaced out for a good 5 minutes. A ryou for your thoughts?" she inquired.

"I'm thinking of a place I'd like to show you. C'mon, let's go!" he proclaimed. Naruto threw down various bills, shouted "Money's on the bar top!" over his shoulder, and left, Hinata in tow.

_"That's strange,"_ Ayume thought _"Why would Naruto leave a half-eaten ramen bowl behind? Hell, Hinata at least finished….oh, I see now! I'll have to give those two a free bowl next time._"

Meanwhile, Naruto led on, Hinata beside him. The two had arrived at their destination, a secluded clearing in a dense forest not far from town.

"It's beautiful, Naruto." Hinata said

"Yes, it is." he agreed

The two sat in a comfortable silence against a redwood tree for about 10 minutes. Naruto decided it was now or never.

"Hinata, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Naruto-kun." she said with a smile.

_"Kurama, what do I do?!"_ he yelled in his mind

**"Take a leap into the deep end, kit! Tell her!" the beast shouted back**

_"What if she says no?"_

**"Kit, you have 5 seconds or I take over."**

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata inquired

"I…I…" Naruto stammered nervously

**"Well, in the words of a wise man, 'you was warned twice.'"**

Naruto felt his heart chakra spike.

His heart rate increased as he grasped Hinata's hands, entwining them with his own.

Hinata gasped slightly at his actions, as he knelt gently in front of her, his eyes locked in on her own.

The blonde spoke firmly and confidently.

"Hyuuga Hinata, you are my absolute best friend. I have never met a person stronger than you. I don't know what I would do if I lost you. I wish to spend the rest of my life with you."

Hinata's heart pumped rapidly as Naruto spoke.

"Hinata-chan...ai shiteru."

Silence.

Silence.

Then…

"N-n-nani ka?" Hinata asked

"I love you."

Hinata's eyes widened, her heart racing, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

One last moment of silence, then…

Hinata knocked him off guard as she tackled him, her lips firmly pressed against his. Her actions shocked him at first but quickly recovered, returning himself to a more upright position, retaining the embrace.

As much as the two longed to continue, due to a pesky little hindrance named oxygen, they slowly broke the kiss. Naruto slowly settled into a more laid back seating position. Hinata sat to his right, his right arm pulling her to him, his left arm acting as a pillow for himself.

"I love you too, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, a smile on her face as she rested a while on his chest.

**"Kit, I think you should know something."** Kurama said

_"Yes?"_

**"I stopped helping after "Hyuuga Hinata."**

A/N: Well, that's a wrap for now. If you have any ideas on what I should write next or more of, please feel free to send a personal message and leave reviews. Reviews keep this machine running. Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

Joy to the World,

-\M/ Zero \M/-


	2. Chapter 2-Update(Poll Info)

_**Status Update**_

Hope all who happened to take a look at my first fic had a happy holiday. I'll be keeping this fairly short, as I have many ideas for new fics (insert devious smile here.)

I have decided that those who enjoyed my work should get a say in what I write (Because in truth, the original layout for A Day To Remember was at least lacking in a solid conclusion. Definitely a little hawkward at points as well. 'Hawkward' is now my catch phrase. Expect more of it.)

In the poll are five choices: Canon Naruto, Canon with Sassy Kurama, Partially Cynical, Gregory House Cynical Naruto, and Fiercely Protective.

If you have any other ideas, feel free to message me the details. The one with the largest numbers will be typed up starting on January 14th (my birthday, by the way.)

Whatever y'all choose, I'll do my best to make it awesome! That's a promise!

Peace,

\M/-Zero-\M/


End file.
